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Friday, June 21, 2013

Today in Labor History—June 21

June 21, 1852—Friedrich Froebel died. Froebel was
a German pedagogue who coined the term “kindergarten” and produced the first
educational toys, known as Froebel Gifts. Froebel was one of the first to
recognize of the importance of activity and play in early childhood (Freiarbeit, or free work), as well as
the notion that one learns by doing. Thus, kindergarten was not simply a poetic
“garden” of children, but a literal garden for them to observe and interact
with the natural world. Froebel’s kindergartens were suppressed by the Prussian
government for its supposed denigration of religion and politics. He rejected
the notion of original sin and promoted and practiced the coeducation of boys
and girls. He also felt children should be able to grow and develop without the
influence of arbitrary political and social priorities—ideas that would endear
him to anarchists like Francisco Ferrer and others in the Modern School
movement.

James McParland, Pinkerton private cop who claimed to have infiltrated the Molly Maguires

June 21, 1877 -
Ten miners, allegedly members of the Molly Maguires, were hanged in
Pennsylvania. Many historians argue that the Molly Maguires, a secret
miners’ organization allegedly responsible for violence and social
conflict in the coal regions, never really existed. The investigation
into the miners’ involvement with the Molly Maguires was conducted by
private detective agency. A private police force arrested them and coal
company attornies prosecuted them. (From Workday Minnesota and the Daily Bleed)

June 21, 1964 -
Civil rights workers Andrew Goodman, James Chaney and Michael Schwerner
were disappeared near Philadelphia, Mississippi by the Ku Klux Klan,
who beat them to death with clubs and chaings. Their mangled bodies were
later found by federal agents. (From Workday Minnesota)

June 21, 1994 – The UAW began a strike at Caterpillar plants in Peoria, Decatur, & Pontiac.
(From the Daily Bleed)